Habituation and the nervous systemEdexcel International A Level Biology: Mind map

Exam questions on Habituation and the nervous system

1. A student taps the shell of a pond snail once every 20 seconds. At first the snail withdraws into its shell each time. After about a dozen taps it no longer withdraws, although the taps are exactly the same.
   Suggest how the student could show that the loss of response is due to habituation and not to the muscles of the snail becoming tired.2 marks
2. A barefoot walker treads on a sharp stone and pulls her foot away immediately. A few minutes later she notices that her heart is still beating fast and she feels shaky.
   Compare the speed and duration of her foot withdrawal with those of the response that kept her heart rate high, and explain the differences.2 marks
3. A woman walking in a park hears a loud bang. She jumps and her heart rate stays high for several minutes. Two weeks later she lives next to a building site where similar bangs happen every day, and by the end of the fortnight she no longer jumps at them.
   Explain how both the nervous system and the hormonal system contribute to her response to the first bang.3 marks